Potassium Channels Kv7 (KCNQ) and GIRK As Universal Regulators of Neuromuscular Activity

Potassium channels are the most diverse superfamily of ion channels, controlling many cellular functions. In this review, we focused on describing the properties of potassium channels of the Kv7 (KCNQ) and GIRK (KCNJ) families. We pay particular attention to the role of these channels in regulating neuromuscular transmission and skeletal muscle activity. Although Kv7 and GIRK channels belong to different classes of potassium channels, they perform similar functions by controlling cellular excitability. In skeletal muscles and motor nerve terminals, Kv7 and GIRK channel subtypes, located at the intersection of many signaling pathways, are involved in regulating the muscle fiber contractility and the intensity of spontaneous and evoked release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Kv7 and GIRK channels are targets for a number of endogenous modulators and toxins, and their dysfunction is associated with the pathogenesis of a wide range of disorders. A detailed study of the properties and functions of Kv7 and GIRK potassium channels will provide a deeper understanding of the therapeutic potential of using their antagonists and agonists for the treatment of various neurological, including neuromuscular, diseases.